Turkey Regional Action Network

October 2012

1) AIUSA Blog article on Turkey

Turkish Human Rights and the Syrian Conflict

by Howard Eissenstat Human rights are gravely at risk in Turkey and the war in Syria seems to be exacerbating the situation. Read the full article at: http://blog.amnestyusa.org/europe/turkishhuman-rights-and-the-syrian-conflict/

custodial sentence relating to his refusal to perform military service is still pending. On 12 September during a routine identity check, nan Sver was rearrested in Baclar district of Istanbul, following the confirmation of a fivemonth prison sentence in absentia for his April 2011 escape from hospital while serving a prison sentence for his refusal to perform military service. nan Sver declared his conscientious objection in a letter to the military authorities in 2009, in which he explained that for reasons of profound conviction, he refused to perform military service. On 26 November 2010, nan Sver was declared unfit for military service by the military authorities, and therefore was no longer required to perform military service. However according to nan Sver, he has been punished for his refusal to perform military service since 2001. He was considered a prisoner of conscience, imprisoned because of his refusal to perform military service on grounds of conscience.

2) Good News

Conscientious Objector, nan Sver, Released

On 12 October, conscientious objector nan Sver was released from prison in Istanbul, Turkey, on the grounds that time previously spent in pre-trial detention should be subtracted from his sentence. Conscientious objector nan Sver was released from Silivri prison on 12 October, on the basis that the time he had spent in pre-trial detention should count towards his sentence. His lawyer said that the execution of another

Should nan Sver be imprisoned again because of his refusal to perform military service on grounds of conscience, Amnesty International would again consider him to be a prisoner of conscience. No further action by the UA network is requested at present. Many thanks to all who sent appeals! tvw tvwtvw tvw

4) Human Rights Trends in Turkey

The following are Human Rights items of interest that have been reported in various Turkish media since our last newsletter: Sledgehammer trial concludes in Turkey: A court in Silivri, near Istanbul, issued verdicts in the trial of 365 defendants accused of participating in a violent plot to overthrow the Turkish government on September 21. Three defendants were found guilty of attempting to carry out a coup and sentenced to 20 years in prison. Other defendants received between 16 and 18 years imprisonment. 34 defendants were acquitted. It is expected that the verdict will be appealed. The prosecution was brought on the basis of an alleged coup plot involving acts of violence calculated to produce civil unrest and form the basis for the military taking over the government. Three military coups have taken place in Turkey since 1960, most recently in 1980 resulting in widespread and systematic violations of human rights. Those responsible for these violations have yet to be brought to justice. The Sledgehammer prosecution polarized public opinion in Turkey between those who believed the trial was a groundbreaking prosecution targeting abuses in the military that had long been subject to de facto impunity and others that viewed the trial as a government plot to silence critics in the military.

3) A Radio Show Featuring Gay honor Killing in Turkey

Possible Futures at KUSF-INEXILE/San Francisco Community Radio has recently featured the case of Ahmet Yildiz who was murdered in Istanbul in 2008 based on his sexual orientation.
To listen the radio show, please go to http://www.kusf-archives.com/2012/10/kusfin-exile-092112-630-8-pm-possible.html To see the latest Amnestys public statement, please go to On the 4th Anniversary of his Murder, Justice for Ahmet Yldz, please go to http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/info/EU R44/013/2012/en To read the Amnestys extensive report on grim situations of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people in Turkey, Turkey: Whose Morals? (October 2011), please go to http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/info/EU R44/010/2011/en

tvw tvwtvw tvw

For an opinion piece, see http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/turke ys-miscarriage-of-justice/2012/09/21/e2125276033d-11e2-8102-ebee9c66e190_story.html

n_types=og.recommends&fb_ref=top_left&fb_s ource=aggregation&fb_aggregation_id=288381 481237582

tvw tvwtvw tvw The raids in the offices of Mersin IHD: Law enforcement officials took nearly 40 people under custody in raids in the offices of the Human Rights Association (IHD) and the home of its Chairperson Ali Tanrverdi Mersin at 5am on 25 September as part of the ongoing criminal investigation into KCK. The raids were carried out without the presence of independent witnesses and written record of the search warrants in the offices of the Mersin IHD. The Law enforcement officials confiscated two hard drives and a laptop, containing sensitive information about victims of alleged human rights abuses and seek advice and legal support at Mersin IHD.
For the news story, see http://bianet.org/english/human-rights/141066police-raid-ihd-offices-detain-nearly-40-people

If you are interested in the issue of Human Rights in Turkey, consider joining us on our Turkey Regional Action Network on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/pages/AmnestyInternational-USA-Turkey-Regional-ActionNetwork/134561963283302 Twitter at: AIUSA TURKRAN If you have any questions, please contact AIUSA TURKRAN coordinator: Natsumi Ajiki (najiki@mac.com).

Engin ebers case: Life sentences were given to three prison officials in the torture-induced murder case of an activist, Engin eber, in 2008. Human rights monitors warn, however, that the guilty parties could still let free under a new law requiring suspects held in jail pending trial to be let out if their cases are not resolved within five years. Ceber's case has continued four years.
For the news story, see http://turkey.setimes.com/en_GB/articles/ses/ar ticles/features/departments/national/2012/10/11 /feature01?fb_action_ids=10151261847798529&fb_actio